@gaspower: Yeah, I don't get why people have to talk shit. Don't they know that someone like that is just going to feed off of it and crush the other team?
Basketball Super Thread - Evil Empire
Cavs in 6.
I'm a Lebron hater, I respect the hell out of him but I don't want him to win championships. But I think they have the squad to get it done. I want to see it happen as I'm not a Warriors fan, either.
Of course, I was rooting for the Thunder since preseason but yeah.....
Would love to see LeBron wim another one and especially for Cleveland. Lived there for years and man it'd mean the world to those people,
@slag: Wouldn't be surprised if his wrist is pretty injured. Rare the guy ever looks hurt for a second.
Loved this. Used to live in Cleveland, when LeBron first arrived through his early career, and I know they're all freaking out. Even though I'm a Celtics fan, always love how LeBron plays. I'm also glad it was shown that small ball, shooting focus is not the only way to make a team. Yeah, I mean not like anyone can just get a LeBron to fight against that but I think that there is more room for other styles as well.
@artisanbreads: Totally, he has always seemed like physical super human.
def agree with you about his playstyle. It can be maddening to see him not take good looks when they are there instead of kicking it out to a supporting cast player, but that's just how he is and why it's also fun to watch his teams play.
Long suffering Knicks fan here. I was already happy for JR Smith winning a championship but after seeing his post-game interview, I'm even happier. I know a lot of people hate JR and he's given people plenty of reasons to do so but I'll always have a soft spot for that dude. He's fucked up a lot in his life and made some aggressively stupid decisions but you can tell in his heart, he's a good guy and that really shines through in moments like tonight.
Cleveland's won, so how about you hook up us Bucks fans now? It's been 45 years, throw us a bone! No? Okay then :(
Well that was one of the best games I've ever seen, good stuff. Wasn't really rooting for anyone but sets up the rematch next year, now to wait through the ever so boring regular season and early rounds of the playoffs for which the only interesting thing that could possibly have happened already happened.
Since this is bitching central: Pistons still suck.
As a Lebron hater, I'm actually really glad they beat the Warriors (although I would've absolutely rooted for the Thunder). They deserved it, James is an incredible player. But unlike last year when he had to carry the load admirably, he had Kyrie right alongside him impressing the hell out of me.
And as a Bulls fan, the Derrick Rose trade left me in shock. And this Jimmy Butler trade talk has led to me drinking at home for the first time... ever? Even Tekken Tag 2 wasn't enough to stop me from shaking.
Two Aussies going top 10 in the draft is more great news for Australian basketball (Simmons #1 and Thon Maker #10). Hopefully Simmons can settle his big ego attitude down a bit. He has the ability to become a great player but also the possibility of blowing a great chance.
@dochaus: Loved Noah here, but after the past couple years giving him that kind of money is LUDICROUS. Granted, last season he wasn't used properly but the injuries are what they are. Hopefully the time off has given him some time to recover. I will say that peak Joakim Noah was a joy to watch, though.
Rose is apparently recruiting him to NY, his hometown, some Washington may be safe.
Space Jam 2 is now just Lebron trying to beat the Warriors in space.
I ask austin_walker to please adapt his theme accordingly.
What a crazy offseason. Warriors killed it but Bulls and NY made some great trades/signings.
I'm still trying to process the past couple of weeks in Chicago. Once they got rid of Rose, the shock was so great that I became numb to all the other moves. Rose, Noah, Pau, Dunleavy, Holiday, Bairstow... so many changes, it's insane. And Forman alluded to bringing in more guys next week. Last season was a grind over here, and the games I went to were either depressing double-digit losses, or resounding wins over the best teams in the league. It's exciting, it's weird. After the reality of the Rose trade set in, I was basically ready to just start over.
Except for the extreme anxiety of apparent Butler trade talks during the draft, that was a terrifying couple of hours.
New York, somehow, is gonna be one of my League Pass teams next season. Like us, they've become a strangely intriguing beast (who won't beat the Warriors).
The next season is just going to be a dog fight between Cleveland and maybe the Warriors. Despite the fact that they are a juggernaut of a team, Curry is gonna take a step back after suffering injuries late last season and Durant will fill in the role as the number 1 guy. Plus, the Warrior bench depth has taken a considerable hit.
San Antonio and OKC are two teams I'm really intrigued with. The Bulls sadly are going to have a lot of locker room drama and I'm totally betting on that considering Rondo is on the team and Hoiberg can't seem to get the people to buy in to his system from what I saw happen last year.
I have no idea what to think about the Pacers. On paper a starting 5 of Jeff Teague-C.J. Miles-PG13-Thad Young-Myles Turner seems like exactly the kind of switch everything fast paced team Larry Bird has wanted to build. On the other hand they fired the coach that literally kept them in the hunt because he crafted a top 5 defense no matter the parts and turned the reins over to someone who consistently played one of the slowest paces in the league when he was a head coach in Portland. At the same time this team needs a ton of breaks just on this starting 5 to make any real noise. Teague has to return to his All-Star form (or at least close to it) on both sides of the court. We need the C.J. Miles and Paul George we saw in the first half of last season (when they were doing their best Splash Brothers East impression) versus the run down versions that finished the season running on fumes. Thad Young needs to show he can be either a stretch 4 (career 32% 3-pt shooter) or a playmaking 4 (career 1.5 apg average). Lastly Myles Turner needs to make a leap and become the rim protecting, 3 point shooting center everyone wants him to be.
The bench on paper seems fun. Letting Al Jefferson and Monta Ellis attack opposing back-ups should result in a solid scoring output from the bench although they may not be able to stop anyone. Really just a meh feeling overall. A lot of the moves either don't really move the needle (Thad Young), are big gambles (Taking Teague over George Hill) or just seem like change for the sake of change (firing Vogel). I really just don't see a lot of moves that make this team decidedly better than last season and while on paper it seems like they are molded closer to what Bird wants I still don't see it actually happening once games start. This is a team that at best will be competing for a 6 seed and at worst will be 9th or 10th in the East.
Oh hey, NBA rosters have made their final cuts and the Wiz are going with 3 UDFAs at the end of their bench. Praying that Beal and Wall can remain healthy and good, and that 'Kief keeps his name out of the headlines, at least until the All-Star Break.
In any case, the season will probably end in a Dubs/Cavs rematch in the Finals. Hope to be surprised but as long as LeBron keeps LeBronning and Curry keeps Currying I don't see anything different.
@meteora3255: Honestly, every year I have no idea what to expect from the Pacers.
@dochaus: I hate to think that this year will be that predictable, but right now that rematch (assuming health) seems inevitable.
Well, the NBA season started last night! Highlights included the Cavs stomping the Knicks into the dirt, including at least two amazing three-pointers by Kyrie Irving over Porzingis. Also, the Spurs ruined KD's debut with the Dubs, including a career-high 35 points by Kawhi Leonard. I'm sure GS will get their act together eventually, as the Spurs are dangerous in any year in recent memory, and I think it says more about their performance than the Warriors.
@dafdiego777: Kind of agree, go for it.
Keep Virtual Spike Lee.
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